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Benzotriazol-1-yl-sulfonyl azide, a new crystalline, stable, and easily available diazotransfer reagent provides N-(α-azidoacyl)benzotriazoles convenient for N-, O-, C- and S-acylations. The efficient syntheses of various amides, azido protected peptides, esters, ketones and thioesters is reported together with a wide range of azides (including α-azido acids from α- amino acids in partially aqueous conditions) and diazo compounds.

Bonding properties in the crystal of 4,5-dichloro-l,2,3-dithiazolium chloride (Appel's salt) were studied using a combination of single-crystal high-resolution X-ray diffraction data and the orbital-free quantum crystallography approach. A QTAIM-based topological model shows the proximity of S—C and S—N bonds to the sesquialteral type and establishes the low S—S bond order in the l,2,3-dithiazolium heterocycle. It is found that the electrostatic potential carries the traces of a common positive area on the junction of interatomic zero-flux surfaces of S1 and S2 atomic basins; meanwhile the exchange energy density per particle shows perfectly here two separate minima through which the two bond paths run. Thus, the pair intermolecular interactions Cl−...S1 and Cl−...S2 formed by the common chloride anion placed near the center of the S—S bond are categorized as chalcogen bonds.

Chemical ligation via O- to N-acyl transfer of O-acylated serine containing peptides affords serine containing native peptides via 8- and 11-membered cyclic transition states opening the door to a wide variety of potential applications to peptide elaboration. The feasibility of these traceless chemical ligations is feasible as supported by computation.

The affinity of biomolecules, such as peptides and proteins, with inorganic surfaces, is a fundamental topic in biotechnology and bionanotechnology. Amino acids are often used as “model” bits of peptides or proteins for studying their properties in different environments and/or developing functional surfaces. Despite great demand for knowledge about amino acid interactions with metal oxide surfaces, studies on the issue represent a fragmentary picture. In this paper, we describe amino acid adsorption on nanocrystalline anatase systematically at uniform conditions. Analysis of the Gibbs free adsorption energy indicated how the aliphatic, aromatic, polar, and charged side chain groups affect the binding affinity of the amino acids. Thermodynamic features of the l-amino acid adsorption receive thorough interpretation with calculated molecular descriptors. Theoretical modeling shows that amino acids complex with TiO2 nanoparticles as zwitterions via ammonium group.

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Composite microporous SiO2-TiO2 spheres and micro/mesoporous TiO2 spheres were prepared via the template-free two-step synthetic route using aqueous peroxotitanate solution and tetraethyl orthtosilicate (TEOS) as precursors. Both the composite SiO2-TiO2 and pure TiO2 spheres prepared by the solventexchange method were initially non-porous, but the applied reflux treatment in water-ethanol suspension successfully transformed them into microporous materials with high apparent surface areas approaching 500 m 2 •g-1 and the micropore volume of 0.17 cm 3 •g-1 , while maintaining the same morphology. The prepared composites retained high values of pore volume and specific surface area up to 400 ºC of thermal treatment temperature. The crystallization of TiO2 into the anatase phase in the mixed oxide occurred only at 700 ºC, that process was also accompanied by the significant reduction of pore volume, as well as apparent surface area values. Both synthesized composite oxides and pure titania were tested, in aqueous media, on the lead(II) removal; they demonstrated high adsorption capacities, reaching 340 mg(Pb 2+)•g-1. Moreover, the mixed silica-titania oxide was found to be more efficient adsorbent at low pH values.

Highly active antiretroviral (ARV) therapy (HAART) for chronic suppression of HIV replication has revolutionized the treatment of HIV/AIDS. HAART is no panacea; treatments must be maintained for life. Although great progress has been made in ARV therapy, HIV continues to replicate in anatomical and intracellular sites where ARV drugs have restricted access. Nanotechnology has been considered a platform to circumvent some of the challenges in HIV/AIDS treatment. Dispersion polymerization was used to fabricate two types (PMM and ECA) of polymeric nanoparticles, and each was successfully loaded with four ARV drugs (zidovudine, lamivudine, nevirapine, and raltegravir), followed by physicochemical characterization: scanning electron microscope, particle size, zeta potential, drug loading, and in vitro availability. These nanoparticles efficiently inhibited HIV-1 infection in CEM T cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells; they hold promise for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The ARV-loaded nanoparticles with polyethylene glycol on the corona may facilitate tethering ligands for targeting specific receptors expressed on the cells of HIV reservoirs.